1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to motor vehicles, and more particularly to motor vehicles having an endless flexible track structure, a vehicle frame and motive power and drive means for the flexible track. In a preferred manifestation, the present invention is a fully enclosed ice fishing house which is operable from within the enclosure to control a tracked drive, movable floor, and exterior auger.
2. Description of the Related Art
In northern latitudes, during the long winters there is no ability to grow or harvest plants. However, many of the deeper or spring-fed lakes maintain water below ice, and fish are able to survive the winter months. Consequently, many lakes in the northern latitudes hold bounties of fish, and these fish have long served as an essential source of food.
In addition to fulfilling a basic need for food, many people today find fishing to be a very enjoyable recreational sport. In some cases this may simply be a return to one's roots, or a refreshing visit to what times of old involved. In other cases, the combination of time in the relatively unspoiled outdoors and the opportunity to meet one's basic needs combine to provide great satisfaction. In yet other cases, the time away from hectic life in the city and opportunity to socialize in a more private environment provides an excellent change of pace. Regardless of the specific reasons, millions of individuals at least on occasion continue to participate in the sport.
When a fisherman embarks upon a fishing trip, whether for an afternoon or a multiple day trip, one part of the preparation is the securing of supplies. Frequently, a fisherman will carry many diverse tools, such as an ice auger, various live and artificial baits, hooks, leaders, weights, bobbers, stringers, and the like.
Once supplies have been gathered, an ice fisherman will travel to a suitable location on the ice surface of a suitable lake. The fisherman will then create a hole through the ice into the water, typically by drilling with an ice auger. Next, the fisherman will pass a fishing line terminated by an artificially or live-baited hook through the hole. The fisherman then waits for an unsuspecting fish to bite or swallow the bait, and then the fisherman will reel the line in and pull the fish through the hole in the ice.
Ice fishing involves sometimes waiting for extended time periods for fish to bite. Unfortunately, by the very nature of the location on top of the ice, there is generally little natural shelter available to protect a fisherman from the elements. Consequently, the combination of cold temperatures and wind can be quite brutal. When temperatures fall below zero on the Fahrenheit scale, and when the winds begin to blow, frostbite occurs in only a few minutes on exposed skin. Severe winter weather can make an otherwise very enjoyable past time into a brutal and life threatening experience.
Snow that requires substantial exertion to walk through and slippery ice are both covering the lakes, making access by foot travel physically challenging and risky. Difficult foot access and the risk of life threatening exposure to the elements combine to create an obstacle or barrier for elderly or handicapped individuals that would otherwise gain great enjoyment and satisfaction from the sport of ice fishing.
A shelter, commonly referred to as an ice house or ice shanty, may be used to protect a fisherman from extreme cold and possible wind gusts. Many ice houses may also be provided with a source of heat, light, and a radio, television, or other entertainment system. Understandably, such ice houses have gained wide acceptance.
Unfortunately, ice houses tend to be heavy, awkward, and not readily transported. Consequently, ice houses can be especially difficult to set up in remote locations. Even for more accessible locations, typical ice houses pose difficulties in transportation and tend to be left in one location all winter.
As is well-known, fish are not predictable, and may move from day to day to different locations about the lake. A fixed ice houses cannot be moved to better fishing locations, while a portable shelter could. Consequently, for a fisherman to have the option of moving to a different location on the ice is of benefit in the art of ice fishing.
Other complications can arise when the ice house is left out all winter. For example, snow and ice can build up inside of the ice houses, making the floor slippery. Another complication arises if the top layer of ice melts on a particularly warm day because the ice house can become frozen to the lake when it re-freezes, making removal difficult or impossible until the lake starts melting again. Also, if the weather warms up significantly before one has a chance to retrieve the ice house, the ice house will be irretrievable and end up at the bottom of the lake. Furthermore, in order to even get a traditional ice house on the lake can require a larger vehicle, such as a truck, to drive out onto the ice. In addition, supplies left within the ice house may be stolen or vandalized.
Some artisans have designed portable enclosures that may be transported across ice and snow. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,735 by Smith, entitled “Snowmobile camper”; and Des 510,541 by Buchanan, entitled “Ice transporter”. These enclosures provide protection from the elements and may be towed by other vehicles. However, other than shelter, they are of little utility to an ice fisherman since they do not provide shelter while still also providing access through the ice to fish.
Several additional towable enclosures provide access to the ice and submerged fish, including U.S. Pat. No. 2,473,076 by Scheibner, entitled “Collapsible structure for ice fishing”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,487,734 by Davis, entitled “Convertible multipurpose recreational assembly”, the teachings and contents of each which are incorporated herein by reference. These greatly facilitate the travel to and from different locations upon the ice through the use of a motorized towing vehicle such as an ATV, snowmobile, or other vehicle. However, the fisherman must still drive the towing vehicle, connect and disconnect therefrom, drill a suitable hole, and in the case of the Sheibner patent load and unload supplies and gear from the shelter. Each of these requirements make the experience less enjoyable, and also much more difficult for elderly or disabled individuals.
As an alternative, some artisans have designed ice fishing shelters that are transported and supported by a snowmobile. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,312 by Scheuermann, entitled “Collapsible shelter, and methods of constructing and utilizing same”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,221 by Carrette, entitled “Mobile ice fishing shelter assembly”. In a similar manner, other artisans have designed shelters for All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and the like. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,645 by Pedersen, entitled “Mobile all-terrain vehicle enclosure”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,327 by Koss, entitled “Retractable portable shelter with an attachment for vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,607 by Sersland et al, entitled “Retractable enclosure for small land vehicle”. Other artisans have designed simpler enclosures for snowmobiles, without any consideration at all for other utility. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,740 by Martinmaas, entitled “Snowmobile cab assembly”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,419 by Riddle, entitled “Combination cover and trailing sleigh for traction snow vehicles”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,175 by Benz et al, entitled “Safety canopy for snowmobiles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,533 by Maziarka et al, entitled “Snowmobile steering mechanism”. Unfortunately, none of these concepts alleviate the need for a fisherman to be significantly exposed to the elements, and potentially need significant strength and capability.
Finally, a few artisans have tried to facilitate the use or transport of an auger. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,722 by Pokorny, entitled “Post hole driller”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,321 by Kortschaga, entitled “Ice auger attachment for snow vehicles”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,751 by Rusco, entitled “Power driven auger attachment for snowmobiles”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,235 by Merritt, entitled “Tracked vehicle”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,277 by Howell, entitled “Drilling apparatus”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,612 by Campbell et al, entitled “Offroad tracked vehicle for snow and ice”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,779 by Skarlupka IV et al, entitled “Auger/vehicle interface jig”.
In addition to the aforementioned patents, several commercial machines exist that greatly facilitate access to ice fishing. These include the StomperTech ATRV all season off-road ice fishing, camping, hunting, and rescue vehicle from StomperTech Industries Incorporated of Clearwater, Minn.; the Yooper Crawler self propelled ice fishing shanty from R & I Manufacturing of Gulliver Mich.; and the SnoBear mobile fish house by SnoBear Industries of West Fargo, N. Dak.; the teachings of each which are incorporated herein by reference. These machines each provide a number of features and advantages that are very significant and beneficial when compared to the patents incorporated by reference herein above. Nevertheless, there remains a need for a particular combination of features that these machines do not achieve.
One challenge with a mobile and self contained shelter is achieving appropriate balance between ground clearance, ease of use for ice fishing, and cost. More specifically, the Yooper Crawler provides good ground clearance while preserving relatively simpler and lower cost construction than, for exemplary purposes, the SnoBear. However, the Yooper Crawler also elevates the floor of the fish house above the ice by the same clearance between the fish house floor and the ski bottoms. In other words, when more clearance is provided to traverse heavier snow coverings, this same clearance is a hindrance for the fisherman later since this creates an undesirable gap between fish house floor and the ice surface. In addition, an elderly or handicapped fisherman must also climb a ramp to gain sufficient elevation to reach the interior floor of the shelter. Consequently, the more transportable the shelter, the less desirable to use for ice fishing.
In contrast to the Yooper Crawler, the SnoBear provides an Acralift System that allows the machine to lower and raise through a twelve inch range, allowing the machine to raise above a heavy snow during transport, while still lowering down to an ice surface for fishing. While this is a very innovative and highly beneficial system, the complexity necessarily adds undesirable cost, and the amount of available elevation gain for transport is still more limited than may be desired for some applications.
Thus there still exists a need and opportunity for a more complete and comprehensive set of features and benefits, while minimizing the detrimental aspects of the prior art.
In addition to the foregoing patents and publications, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.